Dispensing-receptacle.



n. vIc. RIGKBTTS. Y DSPBNSING REGEPTACLB.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 8, 1908.

lPatented Mar. 30, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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R. R. RIGKETTS. DISPENSING REOEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1908.

Patented Mar. 3o, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNITED STATES Priililhlill OFFICE.

RICHARD R. RICKETTS, OF SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO SPRINGFIELD SEED COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

DISPENSING-RE GE PTACLE To all whom it 'may concern;

Be it known that I, Rronann l. ltioirnr'rs, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Springfield, in the county of Greene and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefu. Improvements in Dispensing- Relceptacles, of which the following is a speci- `lication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to dispr-insing-receptacles, and has for its object to provide an article of this kind which a predetermined quantity ofthe contents o the receptacle can be dispensed at each operation.

The invention is particularly well adapted for use Yby merchants who retail a certain article invery small quantities, and who wish to measure accurately the amount of goods delivered to each customer without having to weigh each lot sold.

As one example of the uses to which the invention may be applied, the same is hereinafter referred to as a device for dispensing seeds, though the receptacle may contain and dispense any other substance ol a granular nature, or even a liquid.

rihe invention forming the sub ject-matter of this application resembles, in many respects, the invention shown and described in the pending application of Alfred S. E. Sain ders, Serial No. 481,536, iiled May 7, 1908.

In the drawings forming part oi this speei- 'ication, in which like characters oi reference denote like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a liront elevation of one of the receptacles, various interior parts being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is an elevation oi" the right hand end, Fig` i; Fig. is a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2, with slight modifications Fig. 4- is a section on the line eel, Fig. 23, looking toward the left or said ligure Fig. 5 is an elevation of the movable chute; Fig. (i is a perspective view of the movable chute; Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view oi the parts shown in the upper right hand corner of 3 the guard being shown in a slightly modiiied Aforni and with a modiiied form oli delivery chute; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, showing the same parts after the chute has been moved in the direction of the arrow A and the scraper in the direction of the arrow B Fig. 9 is an elevation of a nicdiiied i rm of delivery chute; and Fig. l0 is a perspective. view of the member shown in 9.

The walls 1 of the receptacle may be made Specification of Letters Patent.

App1ication filed June 8, 1908.

Patented March 30, 1909.

Serial No. 437,235.

of any suitable sheet-material, and may he provided with an aperture 2 in which a 'transparent member 3 is held, through which member any one can see what the receptacle contains and to what extent it is lilled. Within the receptacle is a slidable chute 4, which is located in registration with an aperture 5 in one end (preferablyY the top) of the recoptacle, and which can be moved a predetermined distance toward or away from said apertured end o1PA the receptacle, the position to which the chute is moved governing the quantity of seeds dispensed at any one operation. The chute is open at the end nearest aperture 5, preferably closed at the opposite end, and, in that wall 6 thereo'f' next to the main seed-holding part ol the receptacle, is provided with an aperture 7 through which the seeds to be dispensed pass into the chute, which seeds, when having once entered the chute, can pass thereout through the open end thereof and through the aperture 5 when the receptacle is inverted. Since the aperture 5 is the only exit from the receptacle, and since access to this exit is permitted only through the chute 4, it is obvious that, by regulating the quantity of seeds permitted to pass through aperture 7 into the chute, the amount of seeds dispensed at any operation is thereby controlled.

Extending from front to back of the receptacle is a guard or partition 8, against which guard wall of the chute bears, the a )erture 7 in said wall 6 being normally closed by said guard and passage of the seeds into the chute thereby prevented. In said partition (see Figs. 7 and S), however, is an aperture 9, and when the chute -l is properly moved, as hereinafter described, from the position shown in Figs. l, 3, and 7 to that shown in Fig. 8, aperture 7 comes into registration with aperture 9, and the seeds on the left hand side of member S, Figs. l and 3, can pass through the space between the top edge l() of aperture 9 and the bottom edge Il of aperture 7, the distance between said edges determining the quantity of seeds which can enter the chute 4 at any operation. It desired, the walls of the chute can, of course, be made solid, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, and the chute filled by moving the same to a point where its mouth 27 is beyond the edge l0. (see Figs. 7 and 8). In such cases, the seeds merely pass between the edge 10 and the mouth of the chute. It is entirely feasible, also, to omit that part of member 8 below the aperture 9, chutewall 6 in such cases serving exactly the same function as that part of said member 8 (see'Fig. 3).

Extending from front to back of the receptacle, and preferably lying in a plane parallel to chute-wall 6, is a partition 12, the top edge 13 of which is approximately as high as the edge 10 of apertureV 9, and the seeds, therefore, must necessarily pass over said edge 13 before they can enter the chute. Extending from partition 8 to partition 12 is a floor 14, which floor, together with the partitions 8 and 12 and the front and back of the receptacle, forms a chamber 15 into which theseeds pass before entering chute 4, and from said chamber 15 the seeds can pass into the chute whenever the chute has been moved to a point where the entrance to the chute is no longer covered over by the guard 8.

The chute 4 is normally held as closely as possible to the aperture 5 either by a resilient cord 1G fastened to the inner side of a wall 1 and to any convenient part of the chute (the cord being so located that no part thereof is visible from the outside), or by an exoansion spring 23b placed between the end of the receptacle opposite the aperture 5 and the adj acent end of the chute, and, therefore, access of the seeds from chamber 15 to the interior of the chute is normally prevented, since the entrance to the chute, when in normal position, is closed by the guard 8. "fithen, however, the chute is so moved that edge 11 of aperture 7 (or, in the alternative construction, the mouth 27 of the chute) is beyond edge 10 of aperture 9, this movement being in the direction of arrow A and against the resistance of resilient member' 16 or 23h, the seeds are permitted to pass between the edge 10 of guard 8 and edge 11 of aperture '7 and into the interior of the chute 4, reference be ing made from henceforth only to the preferred form, in which the chute is apertured at 7. rThe wall 1 againstwhich chute 4 bears is slotted at 17, and a stud 18 fastened to the chute protects through the slot. The operator, in order to move the chute, talres hold of stud 18 with his fingers and presses thereu )on in the direction of said arrow A, tl us, ooviously, carrying the chute therewith. Since, as stated above, the distance between the edges 10 and 11 regulates the quantity of seeds which can pass into the chute at any one operation, and since this distance,7 in turn, depends upon the extent of movement communicated to the chute, it is obvious that the position assumed by the chute determines the amount of seeds to be dispensed at any one operation. 1f, for example, the chute be moved to a point where the distance between edges 10 and11 is, say, half an inch, half an ounce of seeds can pass into the chute at each operation, if the distance be an inch, one ounce of seeds will so pass 5 and so on. 1n order to show the merchant eX- actly to what point the chute must be moved in order to dispense the quantity of seeds required, a suitable scale is marked upon the outside of the slotted wall 1, with the lines of which scale (said lines being spaced apart different distances for different kinds of seeds) a marl; 19 on the stud 18 is adapted to register, thereby indicating either the weight or the monetary value of the seeds which will pass out of the main part of the receptacle and into the chute at any operation.

A wing or scraper 20 is provided, said wing being sup orted upon a rod 20a, which rod is held eit er by the front and back of the receptacle or by guard 8, said scraperpassing l through a slot 21 in guard 8 and being of such len 'th that its lowest edge, Figs. 1 and 7, wil just pass over the top edge 13 of partition 12. In case the seeds in the chamber 15, therefore, stand at a level higher than edge 13, or if anys eeds should remain resting upon said edge, movement of the scraper in the direction of arrow B, Fig. 8, will force such seeds back into the main part of the receptacle, leaving only a predetermined quantity of seeds within the chamber 15. r1`hat part 22 of the guard 8 above the slotl 21 is not in the same plane as the part below, part 22 being set back a sufficient distance farther from the slotted wall 1 than the main part of the guard is, in order to permit the scraper 20 to assume a position in which itis practically parallel to the slotted wall 1. lhus, when the scraper 2O is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 7, the distance from the slotted wall to the top edge of the scraper 20 is the same asrthe distance from said wall'to that part of the guard 8 below the slot 21, and thus the passageway in which the chute 4 slides is uniform throughout in width.

To the scraper 20 is fastened one end of a resilient cord 23 or a spring, the other end of same being secured to the chute 4 by straplilre fasteners 23a, this resilient member, too, being invisible from the outside. In lieu of cord 23, a suitable spring 2Gb may be mountedupon guard 8, one end of said spring engaging wing 20 and tending tomove same in the direction of arrow B. As the chute is moved in the direction of arrow A, the scraper is thereby caused to swing upon its pivot in the direction of arrow B, the relative position of the parts before and after such movement being shown in Figs. 7, and 8, respectively. Hence, before the aperture 7 comes into registration with the aperture 9,

thus enabling the seeds to pass from the chamber 15 into the chute 4, the scraper 20 has removed all seeds in excess of a predetermined quantity from chamber 15. When the chute is allowed to move under the action of resilient member 15in the directioniindicated by arrow C, the end of said chute,

Which is preferably beveled at 24, bears upon that part of the scraper which is disposed in the path of travel of the chute, and, as the chute continues to move, it forces the scraper back to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 7. y

A "detlector 25 is placed vertically above partition 12, to prevent packing of the seeds 1n the corner formed by the upper end 22 of guard8 and the top of the receptacle, said dellector being set obliquely to partition 12.

lWliere the parts are made of sheet metal, they may be fastened to the Walls of the receptacle and to each other by solderpoints26.

The artition 12 Jreferabl f extends below the floor 14 to the lower rieht hand edee 27 p 1 t (F10. 1) or the rece tacle therebv roventmo' D l l) c packing o1 the seeds in that corner, beneath the floor 14 and chute e, and the art 22 of guard 8, though refer-ably integra with the main part thereo may be a separable member, as in Figs. 7 and 8.

From the foregoing detailed description of parts, it will be seen that only those seeds which are in the chamber 15 can pass out of the receptacle, and even then only when allovved access to the chute elf, and that the seeds can enter the chute only when the chuteis moved to a point nhere apertures 7 and ,V9 are in registration.. "l'lien the merchant is'about to make a sale, therefore, he ascertains the amount of seeds desired by his customer, moves the chute in the direc* tion of arrov.T A until the mark 19 on stud 1S indicates that the proper position has been reached, thus bringing the edge 11 belenv the edge 10. lf there are any seeds in the chamber 15, the proper quantity thereof will pass through registering apertures 7 and 9 from the chamber into chute l 'when the chute is held in the position (shown in Fig. 8) to which it has been moved in the direction of arrow A. rllhe operator thereupon releases the chute el, which is quickly carried by the resilient member 16 in the direction of arro'ur C to the position sheen in Figs. 1 and 7 (there being no obstruction at edge 10), thus closing the entrance to the chute and making it impossible for any seeds except the predetermined quantity Within chute si to pass out of the receptacle. Finally, the receptacle is turned so that aperture 5 is carried in the arc of a circle (in the direction indicated by arrow D) to a point vwhere the receptacle 'is practically bttom side up, passing, of

course, through the position Where the chute e and partitions 8 and 12 are horizontally disposed, but ultimately delivering the seeds in the chute through aperture 5. At such times as the receptacle contains so many seeds that the seeds stand higher than edge 13 of partition 12, enough seeds `will fall into the chamber 15 by gravity to keep t ie chamber 15 approximately filled at all times, but

when there are fewer seeds than that the chamber 15 must be filled by act of the operator. This is accomplished by turning the receptacle iirst to the position Where it is disposed horizontally or obliquely with the top of the receptacle downward, so that the seeds rest upon what are thon the upper sides of partition 12, part 22 of guard S, scraper 20, and dellector 25, and then turning the receptacle back to upright position. Because of this second n'iovement, the seeds resting upon the guard, scraper` and dee llector uill slide thereo'fl and into the chamber 15. ln inverting the receptacle, however, to deliver the seeds which have passed into chute Ll, the receptacle is necessarily carried through the horizontal position; hence, the chamber 15 uill ordinarily be kept ap proximately i'illed uith seeds because of the mcwements necessarily given to the receptacle each time a sale is made, and it will practically never be necessary to perform a separate operation to lill chamber 15. lt is obvious, also, that the moving of the chute from the position shoan in Fig. 7 to the position shorrn in Fig. S, and the subsequent inverting of the receptacle are performed in practically continuous succession, the merchant makes a sale-'i. c., removes the seeds from the receptacle, measures them, and places them in the bag in which the seeds are carried away by the customer-by a single operation. h

The receptacle is ililled Ywith seeds before the bottom is secured to the `walls; for after said parts are all secured together and sealed it is very dillicult, and almost impossible, to introduce more seeds into the receptacle unless the vfalls be cut or broken. The receptacles, accordingly, can hardly be reiillcd.

Having thus described my said invention, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters- Patent is,

1. ln a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable chute therein, said chute being apertured, and a guard normally closing said chute and located adjacent the chute, the interior of said chute and the interior of saidreceptacle having communication with each other when said chute is moved 'with its aperture beyond said guard.

2. in a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable chute therein, said chute being apertured, a guard, and resilient means normally holding said chute so that said aperture is behind said guard, the interior of said chute and the interior of said receptacle having communi cation `with each other when the chute is moved to a point vfhere its aperture is partly clear of said guard.

3. ln a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable chute therein, said chute being apertured, a seed-receiving chamber Within said receptacle, a Wall of said chamber being apertured, and means by which said chute can be moved to a point Where said apertures Aare in registration, thereby to permit communication between said chute and said chamber.

si. ln a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable chute therein, said chute being apertured, a seed-receiving chamber Within said receptacle, a Wall of said chamber being apertured, and grasping means upon said chute by which said chute can be moved. to a point Where said apertures are in registration, thereby to permit communication between saidchute and said chamber.

5. 1n a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable chute therein, said chute being apertured, a seed-receiving chamber Within said receptacle, a wall of said chamber being apertured, and grasping means upon said chute and projecting therefrom outside the receptacle by Which means said chute can be moved to a point Where said apertures are in registration, thereby to permit communication between said chute and said chamber.

6. 1n a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable chute therein, said chute being apertured, a seed-receiving chamber irithin said receptacle, said, chute normally bearing against one Wall of said chamber, the aperture in said chute normally being closed by said Wall, said wall being apertured, and means by which said chute can be moved to a point Where said apertures are in registration, thereby to permit communication between said chute and said chamber.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable chute therein, said chute being apertured, a seed-receiving chamber Within said receptacle, and means actuated by the chute for removing the excess of seeds from said chainbei, seeds from the chamber being adapted to pass into the chute through the aperture therein.

8. 1n a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable chute therein, said chute being apertured, a seed-receiving chamber Within said receptacle, and a pivoted scraper actuated by the chute for removing the excess of seeds from said chamber,seeds from the chamber being adapted to pass into the chute through the aperture therein.

9. 1n a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable chute therein, said chute being apertured, a seed-receiving chamber Within said receptacle, and a pivoted scraper actuated by the chute for removing the excess of seeds from said chamber, there being a resilient connection between said chute and said scraper,

seedsfrom the chamberbeing adapted to pass into the chute through the aperture therein.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, having an aperture in one wall thereof, a movable chute therein, said chute being in registrations/ith said aperture and a guard v/'ithin the receptacle normallypreventing access to the chute, said chute having communication with the interior of said receptacle when said chute is moved to a point when the entrance to said chute is clear of said guard.

ll. in a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, having an aperture in one Wall thereof, a movable chute therein, said chute being in registration with said aperture, and a guard Within the receptacle adjacent the apertured end thereof normally preventing access to the chute, said chute having communication With the interior of said receptacle When said chute is moved to a point When the entrance to said chute is clear of said guard.

12. ln a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle having an aperture in one Wall thereof, a movable chute therein, said chute being in registration With said aperture, a guard Within the receptacle normally preventing access to the chute, re-` silient means normally'holdiiig said chute in a position Where the entrance thereto is behind said guard, the interior of said chute and the interior of said receptacle having communication with each other when said chute is moved to a point Where the entrance to said chute is clear of said guard.

i3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable chute therein, said chute being apertured, a seed-receiving chamber Within said receptacle, and a scraper extending into said chamber and adapted to travel past and in proximity to one edge of one Wall of said chamber, said scraper being actuated by said chute to remove the excess of seeds from said chamber, seeds from the chamber being adapted to pass into the chute through the aperture therein.

14. In a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle having a dis charge aperture in one Wall thereof, a movable chute therein, said chute being in registration With said discharge-aperture, a seed measuring chamber Within said receptacle, a guard Within the receptacle normally preventing access of seeds to the chute, and movable means pivoted to said guard and adapted to travel to a position approximately perpendicular to said guard, said movable means during its travel being caused by the movement of said chute to coperate with one Wall of said seed-measuring chamber and to remove the excess of seeds from proximity to the guard.

f 15. ln device of the character described, seeds l'roni the proximity ol the entrance to the combination ot a receptacle having a dissaid chute, and resilient means connecting charge aperture in one. sali thereof, a movable chute therein, said chute being in registration with said discharge-aperture, a seedmeasuring chamber Within said receptacle, a slotted guard Within the receptacle normally' preventing access of seeds to the chute, and movable means extending through said slot in said guard and adapted to travel to a position approximately periiendicular to said guard, said movable means during its travel being caused by the movement ot said chute to cooperate With one Wall ol said seedmeasuring chamber and to remove the excess of seeds'from proximity to the guard.

16. in a device ot the character described, the combination of a receptacle having a discharge aperture in one wall thereof, a movable chute therein, said chute being in registration with said discharge-aperture, a seedmeasuring chamber within said receptacle, a guard Within the receptacle normally preventing access of seeds to the chute, and movable means actuated upon movement of the chute to travel to a position approximately perpendicular to said guard, said movable means during its travel being caused by the movement of' said chute to coperate With one Wall of said seed-measuring chamber and to remove the excess ot seeds from proximity to the guard.

17. In a device oi' the character described, the combination oi' a receptacle having a discharge aperture in one Wall thereof, a movable chute therein, said chute being in registration With said discharge-aperture, a seedmeasuring chamber within said receptacle, a slotted guard Within the receptacle normally preventing access ot seeds to the chute, and movable means actuated upon movement of the chute and extending through said slot in said guard and adapted to travel to a position approximately perpendicular to said guard, said movable means during its travel being caused by the movement of said chute to coperate with one Wall of said seed-measuring chamber and to remove the excess of' seeds from proximity to the guard.

1S. In a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable chute therein, a seed-measuring chamber within said receptacle, a scraper adapted to cooperate With one Wall of said seed-measuring chamber and to remove the excess of seeds from the proximity of the entrance to said chute, and means to move the scraper simultaneously With the movements of the chute.

19. ln a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable chute therein, a seed-measuring chamber Within said receptacle, a scraper adapted to coperate with one Wall of said seed-measuring chamber and to remove the excess ot' said scrailier to said chute.

2l). in a device ot the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable chrte theein, a seed-measuring chamber within said receptacle, scraper adapted to cor'iperate with one wall ol said seed-measuring chamber and to remove the excess ol seeds from the proximity ol the entrance to said chute, and resilient means connecting said scraper' to said chute, a strap-like member being secured to the chute to hold said resilient member in connection therevfith.

21. In a device ot the character described, the combination ol a rece tacle, a seed-measuring chamber within sai(l receptacle, a movable chute also Within said receptacle, the discharge end of said chute being beveled, and a movable scraper against which said beveled end is ach ted to bear, said scraper, upon movement oli) said chute, being caused to travel to a position approximately perpendicular to the length ol said chute, said scraper, in its said travel, being caused by the movement of said chute to co erate With one Wall oi said seed-measuring c amber' and to remove the excess ol seeds 'from the proximity of the entrance to said chute.

22. In a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable chute therein, an apertured chamber Within said receptacle from which the seeds enter the chute, the outer wall of said chamber being approximately on a level With the u per edge ol said aperture, and means by W rich said chute can be moved to a point Where the interior of the chute has communication through said aperture with said chamber.

23. In a device 01"' the character described, the combination oi a receptacle, a movable chute therein, an apertured chamber Within said receptacle from which the seeds enter the chute, the outer wall of said chamber being approximately on a level with the upper edge of said aperture, and a movable scraper which is caused by the movement of said chute to travel to a position approximately perpendicular to the upper edge of said aperture and to pass over the top o'l said chamber.

24. In a device o'l` the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a seed-measuring chamber within said receptacle, a movable chute also Within said receptacle, resilient means connecting said receptacle to said chute, a scraper adapted to cooperate With one Wall of said seed-measuring chamber and to remove the excess of seeds from the vicinity of the entrance to the receptacle, and resilient means connecting said chute to said scraper, both or' said resilient means being invisible trom the exterior ol" the receptacle.

25. In a device ol the character described, the combination of a receptacle, an apertured guard therein so located as to leave a space between said guard and one of the walls ot the receptacle7 one of the other walls having a discharge-aperture in registration with said space, and a member slidable parallel to said guard and adapted to control the aperture therethrough, said space and the main part 'of said receptacle having communication with each other when said member is moved to a point where said aperture is open.

in a device or the character described, the combination cic a receptacle, an apertured guard therein so located as to leave a space between said guard and one of the walls of the receptacle, one of the other walls having a discharge-aperture in registration with said space, and an apertured member slidable pare allel to said guard and adapted to close the aperture in said guard, said space and the main vpart of said receptacle having communication with each other when said apertured member is moved to a point where its aperture and the aperture in said guard are in registration.

27. In a device ci the character described,

. the combination oic a receptacle, a guard therewithin so located that a space is left bespace, there being a passageway into said f space through' said guard, and a m'em'ber'slid--Y able parallel to said guard and normally clos'- ing said passageway, said space and the main g part of said receptacle having communica` tion with each other when said member is moved clear of said guard.'

28. in a device of the character described, i

within said space, there being a passageway' f through said guard from said space tothe :main part ot said receptacle, and means which move in connection with said movable member and in coperation with one wall of said seed-measuring chamber for removing the excess of seeds from the proximity of said t passageway.

in testimony whereof l have atlixed my sig# nature in presence of two witnesses.

RCHARD R. RCKETTS. `i/vitnesses:

ALFRED S. E. SANDERS; T. H. SANDERS; 

